W

C767 - Two Options

The earth rose high into the skies, forming boulders that were each two meters wide.

It took time, but not long later, dozens had formed before erupting into a blaze of black-red flames. The searing heat alone seemed to want to melt the city to ash.

Even without Leonel saying a word, the rebel army felt their blood boiling.

There were no words of rage, none of fury or animosity. Even with this goal they had been working toward for years, praying for, for decades… There was still nothing that needed to be said.

Actions spoke far louder than words ever could at this moment.

This was indeed Armageddon. It was a judgment day for The Capital and its nobles who had had their foots on their throats for centuries.

It was finally their turn to return the favor.

The meteors descended toward the gate in a blaze of fire.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The cacophonic booms resonated like drums of liberation. Walls that had stood tall for centuries came crumbling down. A Gate which had never been opened to them incinerated to ash. A City they hadn't been deemed worthy to step foot into had suddenly been opened to them all.

However, Leonel didn't give the order to charge. He continued to stand before the army, his chest wide, his back straight, his gaze cold and indifferent.

At that moment, a figure suddenly began to appear out of the blazing fires as though they weren't there to begin with. When this figure became clearer, many began to look on with frowns on their faces.

Truth be told, this man looked as though he had been living on the streets for several months. His clothes were beaten, ripped, dirtied and ragged. His hair could only be described as a rat's nest, their natural blond color discolored by what looked like and hopefully was mud. His eyes looked both groggy and lazy…

Of all the things the rebel army expected to find when they came here, this was the last. The fact that there were no anti siege tactics prepared by The Capital was odd enough. It was even weirder that there hadn't been a single person atop the wall before their attack. And now… there was this odd man?

The man stumbled over the rocks before dropping down awkwardly before the carnage.

He stretched his back in an exaggerated manner as though he had spent far too long sitting. The crackles and pops that sounded from his action were so loud that they carried throughout the battlefield, even given the destruction to his back.

This alone seemed to make those of the army take this man far more seriously…

The man coughed, slinking his hair back and spitting at the ground before him.

Somehow, a sword appeared in his hand. Despite the fact they had been observing him from beginning to end, no one had been able to pick up on its appearance.

If it was as simple as a spatial ring, they obviously wouldn't react like this. But, there was not a single spatial treasure on the man's body. It was as though the sword had really popped up from out of thin air.

The man's action of sweeping his hair back revealed a devilishly handsome appearance. If he wasn't so dirty, he would truly be a lady killer. In fact, the fact they could think this at all could only mean that the dirt and grime that covered him couldn't possibly be as much of a deterrent as they thought.

"… Blah, blah, My name is Normand. Blah, blah, your General is weak, he should fight me to prove his worth. Blah, blah, not just anyone is worthy to fight my lovable bastard of a King… You get the gist of it right, hurry up mister General sir."

The rebel army was speechless. Was this person issuing a challenge? Or were they acting out a comedy skit? What the hell was going on?

Rollan, who sat on his horse not far from Leonel's back, also frowned. Challenges were rare on the battlefield but not to the point that they never happened. But, it was rare for the supposed 'stronger' party to issue them.

Usually, the point was to get a shot at taking out an important member of the opposing army with the least amount of hassle. It was also a good chance to lower the momentum and morale of an army.

Still, challenges had to be issued by those of equivalent status. It was one thing if it was Alexandre who had issued this challenge… But where had this homeless man come from? Who was he to challenge their General?

However, surprisingly, Leonel held out a hand before Rollan could say anything. He simply walked forward, leaving the immediate protection of his army to stand in no-man's land.

"Normand the Swift, I presume?" Leonel asked.

Gertrude's pupils constricted when she heard these words. Normand the Swift? He was a genius no lesser than the Third Prince of the Oryx Kingdom. The only difference was that Normand was far older and had actually grown into his potential.

But then, years ago, he suddenly vanished from the public eye and stopped appearing on battlefields all together…

Normand chuckled, still stretching his back.

"You didn't know, mister General sir? I go by Normand the Cuck now. As you can see, my Kingdom treats me great. But you, mister General sir, are quite well informed. I'm surprised you've heard of such a title."

"I am quite informed. More than informed enough to recognize the actions of a useless King when I see it."

Normand's gaze narrowed. In all these years, only he ever dared to say a word slandering Alexandre. And even he often hid behind layers of sarcasm. Maybe due to an innate fear of what could happen to his former fiancée, he never truly went too far.

But this General… Didn't seem to have any such qualms.

"I will give you two options Normand. Though your hand is being forced, without first razing this city to the ground, there is nothing I can do for you.

"The first option is to step aside and either physically or spiritually join our effort. The second option is for you to die beneath my spear."

Leonel had hardly finished his words when a sword light so swift it seemed to skirt reality appeared before his throat.

To be continued